Barriers to Pediatric Palliative Care: Trainee and Faculty Perspectives Across Two Academic Centers

Barriers to palliative care for children with serious illness include system constraints and vastly different training and attitudes toward palliative care. This study aimed to explore trainee and faculty physician perceptions of barriers to palliative care across two pediatric centers to (1) examine differences between trainees and faculty and (2) compare these data with previous studies. A mixed-methods study was conducted in fall 2021 among pediatric trainees and faculty physicians at three pediatric hospitals in two pediatric centers in the western United States. Surveys were distributed through hospital listservs and analyzed descriptively and through inductive thematic analysis. There were a total of 268 participants: 50 trainees and 218 faculty physicians. Of the trainees, 46% (23) were fellows and 54% (27) were pediatric residents. Trainees and faculty reported the same four most common barriers, which were consistent with previous studies: family not ready to acknowledge an incurable condition (64% trainees and 45% faculty); family preference for more life-sustaining therapies than staff (52% and 39%); uncertain prognosis (48% and 38%); and parent discomfort with possibility of hastening death (44% and 30%). Other barriers commonly reported included time constraints, staff shortages, and conflict among family about treatment goals. Language barriers and cultural differences were also cited. This study examining palliative care across two pediatric centers suggests that providers' perceptions of family preferences and understanding of illness persist as barriers to the delivery of pediatric palliative care services. Future research should examine family-centered and culturally mindful interventions to better elucidate family perspectives on their child's illness to align care.